How Melbourne Heart's 4-4-2 helped end their woeful run

Well you'd be excited too if you hadn't won in 48 years or so. Photograph: Joe Sabljak/AAP Image

It’s been a long time coming, but after 15 rounds and 19 matches in total, Melbourne Heart finally have a win. Three matches into his second reign as manager, John van ’t Schip has already put his stamp on the side and gained that all elusive win.

Since taking over as manager, Van ’t Schip has changed Heart’s shape – from a 4-2-3-1 under previous manager John Aloisi to a more fluid 4-4-2 diamond. Iain Ramsay and Mate Dugandzic were the goalscorers on Friday night, and Harry Kewell was instrumental to the team’s success as Heart’s new formation caused problems for Newcastle.

The basics of Heart’s 4-4-2 diamond formation. Photograph: Graphic

The basic shape of Heart’s 4-4-2 diamond is shown above, and there are a few key differences from the 4-2-3-1 formation previously used. Firstly, and most obviously, it allows Heart to have two central strikers. Having two players who are mobile, quick and willing to run in behind defences and into channels, means Heart are able to match up against the two opposition central defenders, as well as being able to occupy an entire back four.

Secondly, with a diamond in central midfield, Heart are able to outnumber teams in the middle of the park, with most other teams playing with two or three in the middle. The narrowness of the diamond – with four central players, also allows the fullbacks space to push forward in wide areas, but it has also allowed room for Harry Kewell to drift into wider areas to pick up possession.

But it is Dugandzic, in particular, who has impressed in his new role in a 4-4-2 diamond. Dugandzic, incredibly, switches between playing as one of the two strikers in attack, and playing on the right of midfield in defence. With two goals as rewards, Dugandzic worked tirelessly, dropping back to help repel attacks before bursting forward and beyond Newcastle’s defensive line.

Without the ball, Heart drop into slightly more of a 4-4-2 (but with Nick Kalmar and/or Orlando Engelaar remaining slightly deeper than the other central midfielder). In order to relieve Kewell of the burden of having to track all the way back, Dugandzic plays an important, ‘Energizer bunny’ role. So, when the ball is lost, Dugandzic is the player who tracks back on the right, which allows Kewell to stay higher up the pitch. It also makes Dugandzic a major threat on the counter attack.

Mate Dugandzic, highlighted, operates as a wide right player defensively, before bursting forward into a central role when Heart have the ball

As the graphic shows, Dugandzic takes up a position on the right of midfield without the ball, which allows Kewell to stay further forward in a front two. As soon as possession is regained, Heart move into their diamond shape, which sees Kewell drop in between the lines and Dugandzic burst forward and beyond the opposition defence.

With Dugandzic moving forward from a right sided position, his movements can cause headaches for defenders – namely, does the left back track him into central positions, or when/where does the central defender take over. This confusion on who should pick up Dugandzic played a part in both of his goals.

For the first goal, Heart’s second, Dugandzic was able to head home a cross from Aziz Behich in the six-yard box. Upon closer inspection, we see that Dugandzic had positioned himself in between the centre back, Kew Jaliens, and left back Jacob Pepper. Some shoddy defending from Jaliens, who moved to the front post in an attempt to anticipate the cross, as well as Pepper, was on the alert for Kewell at the back post, left Dugandzic free on the six-yard box to head home unopposed.

Dugandzic’s second goal, coming inside and running in between the left back and centre back

The second goal was the perfect reward for Dugandzic’s role in Heart’s new system. When Kewell knocked down a goal kick to Ramsay, Dugandzic burst forward, running in between the left back, Pepper, and centre back, Jaliens. Jaliens was again inexplicably unaware of Dugandzic’s presence and before Pepper had realised the run would be rewarded with a pass, it was too late.

It wasn’t the first time such a run had caused confusion. A similar run, bursting in between the left back and left centre back, resulted in a glorious chance against Perth just moments after Heart were reduced to 10-men, but this time Dugandzic failed to finish.

As the matches continue, it will be interesting to follow the progression of Van ’t Schip’s team in this new shape and Dugandzic in this hybrid role.

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